Blending, Acceptance, Charm and Honesty
by T'Liana
Summary: Eight people who became something. Eight people who fell in love. Eight people whose lives were forever changed for the better. The conclusion of the lives of four of my major OC's featuring in my Spock/OC stories. Set post-five-year-mission. Lots of love and fluff.
1. Leonard and Caitlin

Behold, the first of four chapters of a story that looks at the relationships between McCoy, Uhura, Kirk, Scotty, and their respective partners. It was designed as a mirror to _Blind, Depressed, Dissolute and Hopeless_ , in which I introduced all the OC characters.

I'm honestly gobsmacked at how this Spock/OC series has developed, but I think it's a good thing. I'm very proud of these intersecting narratives.

So here's your warning for fluff, sweetness, meeting-the-family, weddings, and just general romancey goodness that is incorporated in the entirety of the next four chapters. Set just after the _Enterprise_ has returned to Earth after the five-year mission.

o.O.o

 **Leonard and Caitlin**

He inhaled the dusty Georgian air and sighed. Oh, how he'd missed this. How he'd missed wearing something that _wasn't_ blue.

"Should we call a taxi?" Caitlin asked. He pressed her knuckles to his lips, then glanced around. The train station was busy, people rushing to and fro, but it was nowhere near as busy as the San Francisco train station.

"I'll find somethin'." He led her through the crowd, readjusting his hold on his duffle bag strap, and out into the sunshine.

 _Real_ sunshine.

"It's so warm here." She tilted her head to the sky and sighed. Leonard led them to the taxi rank, where two taxis waited. He gave one the address to a local hotel, then they clambered inside and made the short trip.

The hotel was nice. Small, clean, inexpensive. They unpacked a few of their things, took a moment to freshen up, and then they were on the road again.

"Should I hire a car?" Leonard asked, as they waited for a taxi. Caitlin considered the question.

"Nah."

They caught a taxi to the house where Leonard used to live with his wife and child. He drummed his fingers against his thigh as the taxi drove closer to the little girl he hadn't seen in eight years.

"Are you nervous?" Caitlin asked.

"Obviously," he said. "What is she doesn' like me?"

"She'd be stupid not to." Caitlin covered his hand with her own and squeezed. He chuckled.

"I swear you see more than me sometimes."

"You charmer, you."

The taxi reached a familiar street and Leonard's heart jumped into his throat. The blood rushed to his ears and he forced himself to breathe slowly. It wouldn't do to have a panic attack while en route.

Then the taxi stopped moving. He exited the vehicle automatically, paid the driver, then helped Caitlin out. He asked the driver to stay, as they would need him again soon, and the pair walked towards the house.

It had changed since Leonard had last seen it. The fence was a different colour, the big oak in the front yard was gone, and the house seemed more faded than he remembered. He opened the picket gate, led Caitlin up the concrete path, and knocked on the front door.

Clay Treadaway opened the door. Leonard stiffened. They were still married? He had no clue.

"Leonard," Clay said. There was no friendliness in his tone.

"Clay."

The man moved aside, and Leonard led Caitlin inside. He couldn't help but noticed the way Clay's lip curled as he took in the overweight, blind woman the other man had brought home.

"Dad!"

He froze as he was greeted by a sixteen-year-old who looked so much like him, right down to the shaggy black hair. She was so different to the little eight-year-old he'd left behind all those years ago. So grown up.

"H-hey sweetheart." He stepped forward, arms held out awkwardly, then Joanna rolled her eyes and pulled him into a hug.

"I'm so glad you're home," she whispered. He squeezed her tightly for longer than he thought he would've, because he just didn't want to let go of his precious girl. When he did, he was greeted by the Ice Queen herself.

"Jocelyn." He nodded, his tone clipped.

"Leonard." She looked past him and to the stranger, standing quietly behind him. "Who's your guest?" Leonard dismissed Jocelyn and looked at his daughter instead.

"Sweetheart, this is Caitlin the woman I told you about. Caitlin, this is Joanna."

"Pleased to meet you." Caitlin held out her hand and Joanna took it.

"The pleasure is mine," the teenager said, mimicking the British accent. Caitlin giggled.

"You're pretty good at that."

"Thanks! I was Lady Macbeth in the school play last year."

Clay appeared in the doorway. "I'm going out, Jocelyn," he said.

"Okay." She didn't spare him a glance, her eyes resting on Leonard. Then Clay was gone. "You look good," she said. Leonard shifted under her scrutiny.

"Would we be able to take Joanna out for the day?" he asked. She nodded stiffly, then Joanna grabbed Caitlin's hand and dragged her from the house. Leonard followed, a little bemused.

Jocelyn watched them go, her expressionless face morphing into one of extreme sadness.

She should've expected this. When Leonard had left eight years ago, she'd taken everything, and she felt pretty good about it. He'd been a sucky husband, neglecting both her and Joanna in favour of work, and he couldn't blame her for turning to Clay. She'd divorced him, married Clay, and he'd become a huge mess and then pissed off and was no longer her problem.

Then came the first news that he was a hero of the Federation. Chief Medical Officer on board a Starship. She'd seen him on television, clean cut and serious. It reminded her of what he'd been like at the start of their relationship. She hated the sliver of shame that worked its way into her marriage with Clay.

Now Leonard was here. In her house. Looking like a human-shaped wad of regret. Sober, clean-shaven, straight-backed, and _unbelievably_ sexy. Part of her wanted to ask him back.

However, there was the other woman. The pom. Not much of a looker (and blind to boot) but somehow, Leonard looked at her like he'd never looked at Jocelyn.

The front door swung shut, and Jocelyn surrendered to the regret, and cried.

o.O.o

"So, what d'you wanna do today?" Leonard asked. Joanna held onto his elbow and pursed her lips.

"What about the arcade?" she said brightly. "We always used to do that."

"That sounds lovely," Caitlin said.

They caught the taxi to the shopping centre and joined the throngs of people wandering around. Joana took Caitlin's hand and the pair ran ahead.

"I've never been to an arcade," Caitlin said, holding tight to the teenage girl. Joanna giggled.

"You're in for a treat!" They reached the arcade before Leonard and hung around outside. "Have you always been blind?"

"Since I was born."

"What's it like?"

"Dark. But I can smell the body odour of every person here."

" _Ew_."

"I know."

Leonard joined the pair and they delved into the arcade. Joanna excelled at first-person shooters, while Leonard was better at the racing games. Caitlin spent most of the time standing back while they played, but she then felt Leonard's hands over her own.

"Come on," he whispered, leading her over to a game. He placed a plastic gun in her hands and stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her. "I'll guide you."

She laughed as Leonard jerked her arms around, yelling insults as he mowed down the virtual baddies.

"Get 'em hot stuff!" she cried. Leonard laughed maniacally, then _'level two'_ sounded in front of them.

They made it all the way to level five before dying.

"Dad, let's do a rollercoaster simulator!" Joanna called. Leonard kissed Caitlin's cheek, then rushed to join his daughter.

They only left the arcade when they'd played half the games, and when they walked out, Leonard had never felt so young. They went to a burger stand for lunch, then sat in the food court with their goodies.

"I haven't had that much fun in _ages_ ," Joanna said. She glanced at Leonard and flushed. "Mum doesn't like the arcade. She says it's a waste of money."

"Maybe she should get on the Starfleet payroll," Leonard said. "I'm jus' glad you still like the arcade. Some of the games have really changed since we were last here."

"Really? I hadn't noticed." She glanced between the two officers. "So how did you guys meet?"

"Work," Caitlin said. "We're both assigned to the _Enterprise_."

"Are you really British?"

"Yes."

"How long have you guys been together?"

"Two years."

"Have you done the dirty?"

" _Joanna_." Leonard stared at his daughter, appalled. Beside him, Caitlin smirked.

"None of your business," the blind woman said, then winked. Joanna rolled her eyes.

"You're no fun. Dad, can I give you away at your wedding?"

"Wed… y'know, sure. Why not?" He threw his arms up. "Apparently we're gettin' married now, darlin'."

"Aw. And you're the one walking up the aisle. How progressive of you."

"And I'm- what? Why am _I_ the one walkin' up the aisle? Ain't that what the girl does?"

"We're being progressive, dad."

"It's what Starfleet is all about."

He glared suspiciously at the too-innocent looks that both girls wore. Caitlin chewed on her burger placidly and Joanna sipped her milkshake.

"So… how's school?" he asked. Joanna pulled a face.

"I like the actual learning part," she said, "but I hate my cohort. I didn't know people were so _dumb_."

"Do you have any stories about the wonder of human stupidity?" Caitlin asked.

"Oh _yes_." Joanna held her hand out for a hi-five, remembered Caitlin was blind, then dropped her hand. "So there's this guy called Derek – real jerkface name, I know – and he and his buddies like to pick on this other guy, Steve…"

She regaled a tale about how Derek tried to trick Steve into getting into one of the school janitorial cupboards under the guise of a crying kitten. Steve, a real crafty bugger, knew what Derek was up to, and managed to flip the prank on Derek. Derek ended up covered in paint and the laughing stock of the school.

"That Steve sounds like a smart boy," Caitlin said. She'd finished her burger by that point, and sat quietly and fiddled with the wrapper.

"His _boyfriend_ sure thinks so." Joanna shot Leonard a significant look and he rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. What d'you wanna do now?"

They went for a walk to the nearby botanic gardens and both Leonard and Joanna spent a significant portion of the trip with their eyes closed, to try and emulate Caitlin's experience. Leonard ended up walking into a rubbish bin.

"It's really sweet of you," Caitlin said, taking his hand, "but you don't have to."

"Caitlin, I've walked through here a heap of times," Joanna said, "but I've never thought about how it smelled. Living like you is kinda interesting."

"Oh. That's really sweet."

They stood in front of a huge oak tree that – Leonard glanced closer at the plaque – was over ten-thousand years old.

"I like you more than Clay," Joanna announced. "You're cool."

"What's wrong with the wife-snatchin' trout?" Leonard asked. Caitlin stifled a giggle.

"Trout," she gasped, her eyes crinkling from the effort of holding in laughter.

"He's just… a jerk. He never _tries_. He just works, and sits there watching his stupid shows, and even mum is getting fed up with him."

Leonard shifted uncomfortably. "Your mother's marriage ain't my business."

"I _know_. I just haven't been able to complain about the jerk in _ages_." She shot him a wide-eyed stare that melted his heart. "I'd much rather live with you."

"We kinda live in space," Caitlin sighed. "It's nowhere near as fun as living on a planet. You get a bit stir-crazy after a while."

"Oh." Her face fell. "Is Starfleet bad?"

"No! God no!" Leonard floundered. "It's just, it's a job. You have to work hard an' it's really stressful 'cause you can't really separate your work an' social life, 'cause you work with all your friends."

"A lot of people don't handle the pressure well." Caitlin sighed.

"I think I could."

"Sweetheart?"

"I think I could handle Starfleet." She squared her shoulders. "I've been thinking about it a lot lately. I've always wanted to be a nurse and follow in the McCoy footsteps, and what better place to do that then Starfleet?"

"You'd have a good chance of getting in because your dad's an officer," Caitlin said. She shrugged. "What? It's true."

"Starfleet is _dangerous_ ," Leonard said. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. At least, it's an option."

"I think it's a good option." Caitlin wave her hand around, found Joanna's shoulder, and squeezed.

Joanna started crying.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Leonard quickly pulled her into a hug. He stared wide-eyed at Caitlin, then remembered that she couldn't see him. What the hell should he do?

"I hate living with mum," Joanna sniffed. "She _hates_ you and I don't like how mean she is sometimes."

"You mum an' I didn't work together."

"I know relationships can be messy." She pulled back and wiped her face. "I wish you were around."

"Why don't you stay with us at the hotel for the week?" Caitlin said softly. "Get some distance. Spend some time with your dad. I can go back to San Francisco if you like."

"No!" Joanna looked startled. "Don't leave!"

Leonard stared at his daughter. So headstrong and passionate. How had he stayed away for eight years? How had he missed a single moment of his little girl's life? Emotion threatened to overwhelm him, and he swallowed the lump.

"I'd really like to stay with you," Joanna said. She glanced hopefully at Leonard. "Could you… ask mum for me? If I ask, she'll say no."

Leonard froze. "I, uh-"

"I'll ask her for you," Caitlin said warmly. "It would be rude to refuse a disabled person."

"You minx." Leonard shook his head. "Jesus woman, I love you."

"I love you too, darlin'." Caitlin giggled, putting emphasis on the 'r', and Joanna glanced between the two of them.

"You guys are so _cute_! Dad, you chose well." She threw her arms around both of them and squeezed.

Leonard never thought he would be here, wrapped in the embraces of the two people he cared about most in this world.

o.O.o

Caitlin liked to think she was staring down Jocelyn, but she wasn't sure she was looking in the right direction.

"Yes?" she prompted.

The other woman had been silent for a long time already, undoubtedly thinking about Caitlin's question. Caitlin waited patiently, and Leonard and Joanna's voices were distorted in the next room.

"You're… stayin' in a hotel?"

"That's correct. For the week."

Jocelyn was quiet again.

"We would cover all costs," Caitlin continued. "There's no need for you to chip in. Leonard and I can pay for her. Plus, if she stays with us, you won't have to see us."

Jocelyn 'hmm'd'. "I guess so."

Caitlin wasn't prepared for the disappointment in her tone.

"Thank you," she said.

"Len used to be a dotin' father." Jocelyn's voice turned wistful and Caitlin kept her expression neutral. "We were gonna take on the world together."

"I'm sorry that's no longer the case. One must lay in the bed they make." Caitlin shrugged. "I'll get out of your way. Thank you for your cooperation."

She re-joined the others in the living room and nodded. Joanna squealed, then rushed off to pack some things. Leonard wrapped an arm around Caitlin and kissed her forehead.

"I think Joanna loves you more than I do," he said jokingly.

"Hush. Don't you say such things." Caitlin pecked his lips and he pecked back harder.

"Okay, I'm ready!" Joanna re-entered the room, panting slightly. "Let's go. Bye, mum!"

She led the charge out the door and was the first into the taxi. Caitlin squeezed Leonard's hand. She'd been hoping to have a serious talk with him while they were in Georgia, but now that Joanna was staying with them, she probably wouldn't get the chance. She pushed the thought aside. They could talk later.


	2. Nyota and Yeto

And we have here the continuation of the romance between Uhura and Yeto! Yeto was originally designed as a side-character and I had no intention of him dating Uhura, but they just developed so well together and I couldn't help myself!

o.O.o

 **Nyota and Yeto**

Yeto exhaled as the door hissed shut behind him. Nyota grabbed his hands and peered into his eyes.

"You okay?" she whispered.

"I'm fine," he murmured. "Just surprised I made it out alive. Is it bad that I'm glad your dad wasn't there?"

Nyota's heart panged automatically from the reminder. "Just a little bit, yeah."

He stiffened, instantly attuned to her emotions. She was really hurting right now. He adjusted their grip, so he was the one holding her hands, then brought them to his lips. Tears welled in her eyes and he lifted one thumb and brushed it along her cheek.

"What happened?" he whispered. Nyota released his hands and walked further into their apartment, collapsing onto the couch. Yeto sat beside her and hesitantly rested his hand over hers.

"My dad, he…" Nyota cleared her throat. "He was a Starfleet officer. A navigator. A good one."

"Was?"

"He went missing on a deep-space mission just before I started at the Academy." She sniffed. "Sometimes… when we were on our five-year mission, I wondered if we'd find him, lost in space. Mum, she… never recovered and I just want to bring him home."

"Nyota…" Yeto pulled her into his chest and ran his fingers through her hair. She melted into his touch. "Don't you think that's something you should've mentioned _before_ we had dinner with your mother?"

She giggled. "Probably. You handled yourself really well, though. I'm impressed."

"Your mother is quite possibly the most terrifying woman I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. I wasn't expecting the questions about children. She was really fixated on that."

"My mother's very traditional. She believes in the whole 'having kids' thing."

They were silent for a long moment, both too nervous to ask the question, then Yeto steeled himself.

"Do you want children?" he asked softly.

"Do you?" she retorted. He sensed her unease.

"Honestly? I've never seen myself as a father. My father wasn't great at it, and I'm scared to try it myself." He held his breath, hoping he'd given the right answer.

"I mean, it's not that I _don't_ want kids." Nyota hesitated. "I just… don't want to give birth. I don't want to be pregnant."

"So, you'd be happy to surrogate?"

"I _think_ so. I guess it depends who the surrogate was." Nyota tilted her head so she was looking at him. "We'd have to be married first."

"Of course." He kissed her forehead. "We're both thirty-three, so we have time."

"I want to be finished by the time I'm forty, at least."

"Seven years." Yeto nodded slowly. "I could get on board with that."

Nyota pulled herself from his arms and stretched. "Well, I'm gonna have a shower. Care to join me?"

"Sure."

o.O.o

Yeto arrived for his shift at the Academy Infirmary, and the first thing he noticed was a head of shaggy black hair.

"Hello, doctor," he said. McCoy turned and nodded.

"Kestrel. How's it goin'?"

"Very well, thank you. How was your family visit? Were all your fears for nothing?"

McCoy chuckled. "Kinda. Joanna _loved_ Caitlin."

"That's what you were most worried about, so that's good." Yeto smiled and signed into his shift. "Alright, what needs doing?"

"We need a full stocktake, and…"

For the next eight hours, Yeto and McCoy worked with the other doctors and cadets, and though it wasn't required, McCoy ended up giving all the cadets a lecture on the Orion lungworm that was quite probably one of the best medical lectures the cadets had ever received. One cadet had asked why McCoy didn't lecture at the Academy, to which the experienced doctor replied, "Dammit man, I'm a doctor not a performing monkey".

During their lunch break, they sat together in the office McCoy had been assigned and ate their sandwiches.

"Has Uhura heard from Jim yet?" McCoy asked.

"Not that I know of. Why?"

"It's just, no one seems to've heard from him since we got home, is all. I asked Spock and the hobgoblin hadn't heard from him either."

Yeto rolled his eyes. "Come on, don't be mean."

" _Fine_. _Spock_ hadn't heard from Jim either. Happy?"

"Yes. We have to remember that he hasn't seen his girlfriend in five years…" Yeto trailed off and watched McCoy's expression morph into one of disgust.

"I did _not_ need that mental image of Jim bonin' his girl." He mimed gagging, then shrugged. "But good for him. Maybe this'll regulate his moods."

"With any luck."

"Oh, how'd it go with Uhura's mum? Did she chew you up and spit you out whole?"

"She was intense, yes, but she really loves Nyota and wants what's best for her." He hesitated. "M'Umbha wants Nyota to start having children soon."

"You're jumpin' on the Scotty train?"

"Well, we talked about it, and we were thinking of being done with children by the time we're forty. Does that sound okay?"

"Sounds good. Good plan." Although McCoy was face-first into his sandwich and Yeto wasn't sure how much he meant it. The effort to say something was there, though. McCoy's communicator beeped, and they groaned in unison.

o.O.o

Nyota ended the call, leant back in her chair and sighed.

She didn't like working for the Starfleet Language Centre. It was a thankless job, but it was only for another week. Then, she and the rest of Alpha-shift would embark on one of the most important missions the Federation had ever undertaken.

But for now, she was answering calls from an Andorian family who couldn't work out what traffic lights meant.

" _Psst_. Nyota."

She glanced around and saw Caitlin hovering at the entrance to her cubicle.

"Hey! Good to see you back! How was the trip?"

"It was _great_." Caitlin smiled. "Joanna is a total sweetheart and Jocelyn totally wants Leonard back. So I feel really good about all of it. What about Yeto's fateful meeting of your mother?"

"He did really well." Nyota pulled her friend into her cubicle and the door hissed shut. "Mum called me that night and she said he's perfect for me, so I can't complain."

"Nice."

Nyota noticed that Caitlin was fidgeting with the hem of her dress. She'd never done that before.

"Are you okay?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah. I, um…" Caitlin's face flushed so dark that Nyota reached out to steady her in case she passed out.

"Seriously, is something wrong?"

"No! Nothing's wrong. In fact, everything's really _right_. I just don't know…" She took a deep breath and her colour returned to somewhat normal. "I don't know how to tell Leonard that I'm pregnant."

…

"You're what?"

o.O.o

Yeto froze mid-incision.

"Dammit man, what're you freezin' up for?" McCoy grunted. They had been called to one of the public hospitals in San Francisco after lunch to perform a complicated heart surgery, which they were fine with. It just meant they were going to get home late.

And Yeto had been flushed with sudden shock. A surprise that turned into happiness so great that his brain had shut down for a split second.

"Sorry. It won't happen again." There wasn't time to explain that he was emotionally bonded to Nyota through his empathic abilities, and whenever she felt a particularly strong emotion, he would feel it too, and vice versa.

Ten minutes later, McCoy's communicator buzzed. He ignored it. It buzzed again. And again. And again. Eventually, he cursed and stepped away from the patient.

"Kestrel, you take over the surgery 'til I see what this damn person wants."

"Yes, doctor." Yeto began removing the clot from the heart, tuning out McCoy's conversation on the communicator, and didn't look up as the doctor reapproached the table.

"Yeto…" That made the Betazoid look up.

"Is it bad news?" As soon as he said it, he knew it was good news. He could practically sense the joy emanating from the doctor.

"Nah, it's… really good news." He exhaled and shook his head. "I need to get my head back in the game. Phew!"

Hours later, when the surgery was completed, the patient was resting comfortably, and they were changing in the locker room, Yeto asked McCoy about the call.

"So… what was it?"

"It was Caitlin." The joy vibrated through every follicle of McCoy's body. "She's pregnant."

That explained the shock.

"That's great news!" Yeto clapped McCoy's shoulder. "You're going to be a father again!"

"I know…" In all the years he'd known him, Yeto had never seen McCoy smile so wide. Then another doctor entered the locker room and they returned to pulling on their Starfleet uniforms.

They said their goodbyes and Yeto returned to the apartment he shared with Nyota. She was home, curled up on the couch when he walked through the door, and he marched over to her and kissed her deeply. She squeaked at the sudden intrusion and dropped her book. A romance novel. He kissed her deeper.

Twenty minutes later, he pressed his face into her hair and sighed, his heartbeat slowly returning to normal. He wrapped his body around her and she pulled the bedsheets further over their naked bodies.

"It's good news about Leonard and Caitlin," he said.

"You heard? It's great, right?" She traced her fingers over the sweaty back of his hand. Her fingers stilled. "What if we ask Caitlin to be our surrogate?" She wriggled away and rolled over to face him. "Is she medically healthy?"

"Yes, aside from her blindness she maintains above-average health. Despite being vegetarian she attains all the necessary nutrients and her body is structurally suitable for pregnancy."

"I love it when you talk dirty." Nyota tapped his nose and giggled. He nipped playfully at her finger.

"It will depend on how this pregnancy goes. Surrogacy is only allowed for women who've previously conceived successfully. She also has to be willing."

"I know." Nyota bit her lip and Yeto reached out to stroke her cheek.

"What is it?"

"I only want one," she admitted. "Is that selfish?"

"Not at all." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, loving how snuggly she fit against him. "I like talking about our future."

"Me too."

Their emotions thrummed together for several long moments and Yeto inched forward until his mouth was beside her ear.

"Nyota," he whispered, "will you marry me?"

"Will I…" Her voice cracked. "I-I mean…"

He rolled over, yanked open his drawer in the bedside table, and pulled out a small velvet box. He rolled back over and opened it, revealing a gold band with three small diamonds embedded in the centre.

"I was waiting to ask," he said, "and then we were talking about our future and I thought 'why not?' So… will you become my wife?"

"Yes! Of course I will!" She launched herself onto him, placing a flurry of kisses on whatever she could reach, and pulled back just long enough for him to slide the ring onto her finger.

They didn't bother with dinner that night, and when they both arrived at their respective jobs the following morning, many co-workers commented on how tired they looked. Yeto smirked. If only they knew…


	3. Jim and Jamie

So I never intended for Jamie to ever join the _Enterprise_ crew. She was meant to be Kirk's reason for coming back home, but in _Enterprise Adventures_ I knew she'd be studying to become something other than a waitress and I decided on primary school teaching. It just so happened that the ship will most likely have a few children running around (namely Clifford and Shintai) and so Kirk will need a carer who can teach the kids and keep them in line. Jamie was the logical choice.

This chapter was loosely inspired by _I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry_.

o.O.o

 **Jim and Jamie**

Jim adjusted his tie for the hundredth time and, beside him, Jamie covered his hand with her own.

"Relax," she murmured. "There's nothing to be worried about."

"It's your _mother_ , of course there's something to be worried about." Jim exhaled slowly and squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry. I'm just nervous. I've never done this before."

"Neither."

"Can't we just go back in time a week?"

"Sorry Jim, I need tonight to recover." She winked, and his knees went weak.

The past two weeks, since his arrival back on Earth, he and Jamie had only emerged from her apartment for dinner each night and one trip to an adult shop. Other than that, they'd spent their time entwining their bodies and relieving the pressure that had built up over five years. Jim wished they could go back to that, but tonight they were embarking on the scariest mission of all time.

Meeting her mother.

The front door swung open and a beautiful Orion woman greeted them with hugs and kisses.

"Jaime! Darling! It's been much too long."

"Sorry, mum." Jamie kissed her mother, then turned to Jim. "Mum, this is Jim, my boyfriend."

"It's about time you brought a man home." She stepped back and ran her eyes over every inch of him. "You chose _very_ well. Hi, I'm Lyla." She pulled him into a hug and he shot Jamie an apprehensive look and she hid a smile behind her hand.

"It's lovely to finally meet you," Jim said, pulling back.

"Honestly, I was beginning to wonder if Jamie was lying about this young man she was seeing."

"I told you, mum, he was on a deep-space mission." Jamie rolled her eyes, then she and Jim entered the single-roomed apartment. It was a pretty space, with pastel colours and a distinctive feminine feel. The table was set with three places and steaming pasta sat in a pot in the centre of the table.

They took their seats and Lyla portioned the food.

"So, Jimmy, how'd you get into Starfleet?"

"My mentor, Admiral Pike, he referred me." He was slightly embarrassed to admit that he'd joined on a dare. It wasn't a noble reason, like Spock or Uhura. It was purely selfish.

"And do you like it?"

"I do, yeah. I couldn't imagine a better job."

Lyla turned to Jamie. "Honey, why don't you tell him?"

" _Mum_." Jamie flushed.

"He'll see it when he takes a look at the applicants anyway."

"Applicants?"

"My darling daughter here has applied for a position on your ship." Lyla chowed down on her pasta triumphantly and Jim stared at Jamie. She what?

"Well… I have." She looked down at her food. "Just before the ship came back, I got a message from your Chief Engineer."

"Scotty?"

"Yeah. He asked if I was finished my degree."

"Which you are."

"Yeah. And he asked if I… would consider joining the crew as a teacher for his children and any other children on board." She looked up, hope outlining every inch of her face. "Would you… like that?"

"Are you kidding? I would love that!" He grabbed her hand across the table and squeezed it. "I couldn't imagine anything better!"

Bright light flashed, and they blinked in surprise. Lyla put down her tricorder and clapped her hands together.

"Oh, you children are so _cute_! Honey, if you aren't allowed to take Kili, can I have him?"

"Jim? Can I?"

"Of course you can. Clifford and Shintai would love him."

"That's true."

Jim let go of her hand, then cleared his throat and turned to Lyla. "So, Lyla, what do you do?"

"Whoever I want." She winked, then laughed. "Oh, Jamie, you should've seen your face! I'm kidding! I'm in a serious relationship with a lovely woman from a place called India. But, job-wise, I work in marketing for a travel agency based on Risa."

The conversation flowed, as did the food and wine. After a while, Jim felt at ease in Lyla's presence. She was a nice woman, but incredibly passionate and 'out there'. Once upon a time he'd been attracted to those qualities, but that was a long while ago.

Hours later, they said goodbye to Lyla, who kissed Jim on the mouth – Jamie said that was totally normal – and they climbed into a taxi.

"That went well," Jim said. "I think your mum liked me."

"Oh, she definitely did." Jamie draped one leg over his, and an idea popped into Jim's wine-addled brain.

"Let's go to Vegas and get married," he said. "You, me, right now. Let's just _go_."

"Really?" She kissed him. "That's a good idea."

He trailed kisses up our throat. "I think we should get beamed."

"Isn't that abusing your responsibility as Captain?"

He sat back and pulled out his communicator. " _Enterprise_ , this is your Captain. Kirk. James T."

o.O.o

They appeared in the lobby of an expensive-looking hotel. The people around them looked over in surprise.

"Alright, what's the plan?" Jamie asked.

"Find a marriage place. Then a hotel room. Then don't leave for a week."

He grabbed her hand and they rushed outside, on the bustling streets of Las Vegas. Artificial light illuminated the streets and Jamie looked around in wonder.

"I've never been to Vegas. Oh, look! Those look like wedding bells!"

They rushed over to the fluorescent bells and into a wedding hall. Wooden pews lined both sides of the aisle, one person seated on the front pew and a celebrant lounged on a chair underneath the wedding arch. She looked up as they entered.

"Here to get married?" she asked.

"Yes!" Jim held up Jamie's hand proudly.

"Do you have any rings?"

"Oh. Oh, no, we don't."

"No problem. If you'll follow me…"

They followed her to a side room, in which beautiful rings filled glass cabinets. The celebrant measured both their fingers, then took them to the relevant cabinets, where both Jim and Jamie selected rings they liked.

They then paid the celebrant for the rings and ceremony, then stood together beneath the archway.

"Your names?" the celebrant asked.

"James Kirk and Jamie."

"Surname?"

"Orion's don't have surnames."

"Okay." The celebrant nodded, then cleared her throat. "Harry there, on that pew, will be your witness."

"That's okay." They both looked at Harry, fast asleep on the front pew.

"We don't stand for ceremony here. Do you, James Kirk, take Jamie to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do."

"And do you, Jamie, take James Kirk to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do."

"James, your vows."

"Oh. Um, I guess, Jamie, I'm totally crazy about you. I know the distance made it hard, but we made it work and look at us now! I mean, you're probably pregnant now, but that's _so_ not the reason I wanna do this. I've never felt about anyone how I felt about you, and I love you so much and wanna spend the rest of my life with you." He grinned stupidly.

"Jamie?"

"Jim Kirk. I love you."

"Short and to the point. Okay… the rings?"

Jim slipped Jamie's ring onto her finger. "With this ring, I thee wed."

She did the same. "With this ring, I thee wed."

"Let us all witness these events here today. If anyone has any objections to this match, speak now or forever hold your peace."

They glanced at Harry, who snored on the pew.

"Alright. The vows have been said, and so I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss your bride!"

Jim pulled Jamie into a steamy kiss, their bodies melding together, and the celebrant cleared her throat.

"You have to sign the registry," she whispered.

They rushed over to the registry and Jamie sat in Jim's lap as he signed the PADD to say they were married, then she signed.

"We're married!" Jim cried. He looked at the celebrant. "Hey, thanks! You're awesome!"

They rushed from the hall and back onto the street, to the biggest hotel they could find. They entered to the lobby and Jim turned and kissed Jamie.

"Stay here," he said, "I'll get us a room."

"Don't take too long." Her gaze smouldered, and he would've taken her there and then if no one else was around.

He approached the front desk and leant against it and smiled at the clerk. "Hi, I was after a room for two for the next week."

"I'm afraid that all of our rooms are full," the clerk said boredly, not looking up from her computer.

"Aw, c'mon. There's gotta be something."

"I'm sor-" She looked up, saw Jim, and her face slackened. "Are you Jim…?"

"Jim Kirk? Yeah."

"I'm so sorry! I, uh, we have, one second." She typed on her computer furiously, then smiled. "Okay, we have a vacancy in the penthouse suite. Here's the code, and have a good stay!"

"Here's my…" He held out his card to pay, but she waved it aside.

"You've done more than most for this planet. It's on the house." She beamed, and he took the code from her and turned, a little confused. He saw Jamie across the lobby and smiled, his pants uncomfortably tight.

"Hey there."

He looked over and his eyes fell onto a gorgeous young woman in a slinky dress. She batted her eyes and sidled up to him.

"Can I help you?" He glanced back at Jamie and shot her 'help me' eyes. She hid a smile behind her hand.

"Yes, I couldn't help but overhear… Jimmy Kirk, right? You're quite the hero." She rested her hand on his arm. "Wanna get out of here?"

"Sorry." He held up his left hand. "I just got married." He held it out and Jamie took it.

"Bye," Jamie said, smiling brightly. The woman blinked. "If you'll excuse us, I need to go and screw my _husband's_ brain out."

He pulled her away, laughing, and they ran into the elevator. Once the doors shut, he pushed her against the wall and kissed whatever he could find.

"My wife," he whispered. "I never thought it would happen."

"It has, husband." She lifted a leg and wrapped it around his hip. He groaned and ground against her.

Then the doors dinged open and a middle-aged couple stood in the hallway, staring at them. Jamie dropped her leg.

"We just got married," Jim said, taking her hand and dragging her past them. They burst into laughter and ran up the hallway, feeling younger than they had in a long time – that could partly be attributed to the amount of wine that they'd consumed at Lyla's.

They found the penthouse suite, closed the door behind them, and didn't emerge for three days.

o.O.o

Jamie glanced at the ring on her left hand, then looked back at her menu. Even though it had been almost two weeks, she still couldn't believe that it had actually happened. She and Jim had gotten _married_. Like, _actually_ married. The wedding ceremony itself was a bit fuzzy, but she remembered her wedding night in _very_ vivid detail.

"Hey!"

She looked up as Zia took the seat across from her. The Vulcan smiled, her pixie-like features brighter than usual.

"Hey!" Jamie smiled back. "It's really good to see you."

"You… too…" Zia's eyes were glued on the wedding band. " _No_."

"Yes."

"When?"

"Last week."

"Where?"

"Vegas."

" _How_?"

"We were drunk."

" _What_?"

"Yeah."

"So that's awesome." Zia stood, dodged around the table, and pulled her friend into a hug. "I can't believe you didn't tell anyone!"

"Well, we finished dinner with my mum and decided we would get married. We didn't have time to buy a ring and just got one from the wedding hall."

Zia sat back down and grabbed her menu. "Welcome to the married club."

"I can't believe you're married. You're just a kid!"

"I'm almost thirty."

"You were nineteen when we first met. I swear it was just yesterday."

"Same. Unfortunately, age happens to us all."

Jamie laughed. "How's things going with Spock? Will we be hearing the pitter-patter of little Vulcan feet soon?"

"No way." Zia shook her head. "Not for a _long_ time. We just want to focus on us and our careers for the moment." She slapped her hands against the table. "So-so-so-so did you apply for the job?"

"I did."

"How'd Kirk take it?"

"He was all for it! I had my interview yesterday."

"How'd that go?"

"Well, let's just say he has a really sturdy desk."

"How dare you sleep with your boss."

"Oh, I know! It's almost as if we're married!"

"So did you get the job?"

"Obviously. I can't wait to meet Scotty and Lexis' little ones."

"And Caitlin and McCoy's."

"What?"

"Yeah, she's pregnant."

Jamie rested a hand over her stomach. "I think I might be too." At Zia's alarmed look, she waved her hands placatingly. "I haven't taken any tests yet or anything, but Jim and I have been going pretty hard at it without protection, so there's a good chance."

"You haven't been drinking, have you?"

"Not since the night we got married. In his vows, Jim said I could be pregnant, and I thought I should probably start acting like I am until I take the test."

Zia shook her head. "I can't believe how things change. Once upon a time, we were just co-workers. Now we'll probably spend the rest of our lives together."

Jamie winked. "I won't tell Spock if you don't tell Jim."

"Oh, of course sweetheart. We'll keep our affair a secret."

They burst out laughing and looked up as the waiter approached. They ordered their food and Zia leant back in her chair and looked at Jamie seriously.

"Are you happy?" she said softly.

"I am."

"Are you prepared to undertake the Preparatory Program?"

"I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to serve on the _Enterprise_."

"Good." Zia smiled. "I look forward to having you on board." She held up her glass of water and Jamie did the same. "Here's to friends."

"To friends." They sipped their water. "And my sexy husband."

Zia rolled her eyes. "A bit of charm and you're whipped."

"He can't help it that he has a big-"

" _Jamie_!"


	4. Scotty and Lexis

Well, here we are. The end of an era.

Just a couple notes before we begin. The girl that Scotty's mum wants him to marry, that part was inspired by _Holding Out For A Hero_ by **The GirlWhoRemembers** (seriously, check out their stuff, it's amazing). Secondly, for those who have seen _The Orville_ (and if you haven't, do it now), there's a little easter egg for you. Thirdly, I've envisioned 'chamban' as a cute Takret petname, like 'darling' or 'sweetheart'.

I will also, at the time of posting this chapter, be posting the first chapter of _Final Frontier_ , the next installment of this series-that-wasn't-intended-as-one-but-turned-into-one-anyway. What is it about, you ask? Well, you'll have to read and find out!

o.O.o

 **Scotty and Lexis**

The doorbell rang and Lexis' heart hammered in her chest. This was it. Scotty, sitting cross-legged on the floor with the children, looked up.

"Ye wan' me ta get tha'?" he asked.

"No, I'll do it." She smoothed down her dress and crossed the living room of their brand-new house and to the front door. She saw the silhouettes behind the foggy glass and inhaled and pulled the door open.

She was greeted by her parents, brother, sister, her sister's husband and their son. She greeted them in turn, and they all entered the house in a clump.

"It's a beautiful house," her mother said, looking around at the simple décor. "Have you…" She trailed off as she turned the corner and caught sight of Scotty sitting with the two children.

"Lexis…" her sister, Tina, said. "Who's that?"

"Mum, dad, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend." Her throat went dry and she glanced between her parents. Tina had married a Takret man. What would they say about her being with a human?

"Aye, pleased ta meet ye." Scotty stood and held out his hand, which both her parents shook. "Montgomery Scott. We work together."

"And… the children?" her brother, Mark, asked. Lexis swallowed.

"They're… ours."

"You have _children_?" Tina gaped. "You didn't tell us?"

"Well… we wanted it ta be a surprise." Scotty shrugged, then knelt down and picked up Shintai.

"Surprise!" Lexis said weakly.

Her mother descended with the flurry of a hurricane, plucking Shintai from Scotty's arms and scooping up Clifford. She drew both toddlers into her chest and squealed.

"They're so _cute_! Chamban, come and look!"

Lexis' father came over and took Clifford, pressing his face against the toddler's and inhaling. Clifford giggled and grabbed at the man's nose. "How old are they?" he asked.

"Sixteen months." The ball of tension in Lexis' chest loosened. Tina took her son's hand and led him over.

"Hey, Will, meet your cousins," she whispered to the quiet boy.

"Shintai and Clifford," Lexis said. At the look on her mother's face, warmth bloomed in her chest, dispelling the tension. Lexis glanced at Scotty and he beamed, then reached out to take Clifford.

"Would ye like ta stay for dinner?" he asked. "I cook up a mean stew."

"That sounds lovely," Tina said, shooting Scotty a genuine smile.

o.O.o

Scotty thought he'd handled himself quite well, being the only human among a family of Takret's. He knew that her family held no grudges against humans, given that they were technically refugees and Earth had been kind enough to take them in. Lexis' family didn't care that the children were half-Takret half-human, or that _he_ was a human for that matter. The way they acted around him, it was like they'd known him for years rather than minutes.

Today, however, was something else. His girlfriend hefted Clifford onto her hip, while Scotty pushed Shintai in the pram. Twenty metres away was the front door of the Scott family home, a house in Scotland that had been in his family for generations. It had eight bedrooms, as the Scott family used to be a large one, and a backyard so big that they could rebuild their house ten times over.

Lexis, having lived in a small two-bedroomed apartment in Canada growing up, gaped at the sheer magnificence of the old wooden accents.

"It's beautiful," she said, finding the strength to _clop_ her mouth shut.

"Aye, tha' it is. Me whole family's grown up here for generations." He hesitated. "Are ye okay?"

"I'm fine." Lexis inhaled and exhaled slowly. "I'm honestly looking forward to meeting your family."

"Oh, ye sweetheart." They walked up the steps onto the veranda and Scotty knocked on the door. There was a flurry of movement inside, then the door was tugged open.

"Scotty! Darlin'-"

The woman at the door – who could only be his mother, Arlyne Jorgensen-Scott– stopped and gaped at the unexpected guests.

"Hi mam," Scotty said, moving around the pram and kissing Arlyne's cheek. She spared him no glance, instead staring at Lexis and the two toddlers.

"Hi…" The tension was back in Lexis' chest. This must be how Scotty had felt meeting her family, but he hid it well. What if they didn't like her? What if they didn't approve of their hybrid grandchildren?

"Mam, is it Monty?" A young woman appeared beside Arlyne. It could only be Clara, Scotty's sister. She sported the same flaming hair, and a young boy appeared on her heels.

"Mama," he wailed. Scotty knelt and smiled.

"Hi Peter, I'm yer Uncle Scotty. I work at Starfleet."

"Hi Uncle Scotty!" Little Peter threw his arms around Scotty's neck and the man stood, allowing the boy's legs to wrap around his middle.

"Hi Clara, how've ye been?" he asked.

"How're we no' addressin' tha elephan' in tha room?" Arlyne asked, still staring at Lexis.

"Of course. Mam, this's Lexis, me girlfriend, an' these are Clifford an' Shintai, our kids."

" _Biological_ kids?" Clara asked, reaching out and taking Peter. The boy whined and waved his arms at Scotty, but his mother shushed him. Scotty raised his eyebrow and picked up Shintai from the pram.

"Aye, biological. We made 'em exactly like mam an' da made us."

"I don' need tha' mental image." Clara made a face.

Lexis, meanwhile, adjusted her hold on Clifford, and held her hand out to Arlyne. "Hi, I'm Lexis. It's really good to meet you."

"American?" Arlyne asked. She didn't take the hand, and so Lexis returned it to Clifford's waist.

"Canadian," Lexis corrected. "First generation Earth."

"Species?"

"Takret."

"Where'd ye meet?"

"We work together."

"Length o' relationship?"

"Two-and-a-half years."

"Age o' kids?"

"Sixteen months."

"Were ye careless?"

Sweat beaded Lexis' forehead. She'd anticipated the questioning. With her family, they knew about the Takret infertility, so they instantly understood the reason behind the accelerated relationship. Arlyne didn't know. Very few humans knew. With human relationships, they tended to be together for a while before procreating. However, with humans, their expiry date was a great deal later than Takret's.

"No. We went into the relationship planning this."

"Mam, can we come inside?" Scotty asked. "It's mighty cold." Arlyne nodded, and they followed her into the massive three-storey house. Once inside, Clara took Peter, Clifford and Shintai into the next room, while Arlyne, Scotty and Lexis sat down together.

"Explain," Arlyne nodded. "Tell me how me only son comes home wit' a family an' he doesn' think it righ' ta tell me."

"I wanted it ta be a surprise," Scotty said. "Ye know how ye used ta say I'd marry me ship an' all?"

"I do."

"Well, I'd proven ye wrong an' I wanted ye ta meet Lexis an' for it ta be a surprise."

"Why'd ye jump inta havin' kids?" Arlyne folded her arms. She looked straight at Lexis. "Ye didn' ge' pregnan' on purpose ta trap me son?"

"MAM!" Scotty shouted. "How could ye say somethin' like tha'?"

"I don' know her. She could be as bad as Klingons for all I know."

"MAM!" Scotty's face turned as red as his hair. "Ye cannae say tha' ta the mother o' my children."

"It's okay." Lexis sat up straight. "I met your son six years ago when he offered me a job on the _Enterprise_ and I pretty much liked him straight away."

"Straigh' away?" Scotty's eyes softened.

"Well, yeah, but you were my boss so I wasn't gonna do anything." She turned her attention back to Arlyne. "Now, with Takret females, our biological clock stops as soon as we turn thirty-five. Meaning no children. Just before I turned thirty-five, your son was kind enough to make the first move and offer that we get together and start a family. We both thought our chances of children were zero, and suddenly we have twins."

Arlyne glared at Scotty. "Those aren' good enough reasons ta have kids. Ye aren' married. Ye barely know each other."

"We worked together for over five years." Lexis frowned. "The entire ship was running a pool to see how long it took before we got together."

"Were they?" Scotty asked.

"Yeah, Uhura told me."

Arlyne shook her head. "Montgomery, I'm disappointed, an' I'm sure ye father would be too, god rest his soul." She completely dismissed Lexis then, turning her full attention onto Scotty. "Finella McNeil's been askin' after ye. Why don' ye give her a call?"

Scotty's face darkened. "Finella McNeil made her choice years ago, mam."

"So instead o' chasin' after a nice _human_ girl from a nice _human_ family, ye go off gallivantin' wit' a Takret an' knockin' her up?"

Scotty stood abruptly. "Lexis, we're leavin'." Lexis stood slowly.

"We are?"

Scotty grabbed her hand and dragged her from the room. Arlyne sat there, stunned, for a long moment, then rushed after them. Clara looked up in surprise as Scotty and Lexis burst through the door. Lexis' heart melted at the sight.

Peter, Clifford and Shintai sat together around a block tower, carefully taking turns making it taller. Clifford wasn't quite tall enough to reach the top, and Peter had used some of the blocks to make a step so his cousin could reach. Scott children were something else.

Scotty grabbed Shintai and Lexis grabbed Clifford. "I'm sorry, Clara, we have ta go," he said. "Mam's made it clear wha' she thinks o' us."

Clara gave him this strange look, tilting her head. Scotty nodded. Then she nodded.

Lexis followed Scotty from the house he'd grown up in, back to their rental van, and Arlyne watched them go with her arms folded and a frown on her face.

o.O.o

They booked a hotel across town for the week. He still wanted to show her around his hometown, after all. Scotty bounced Clifford in the water and the toddler squealed in delight and ran his fingers through the bubbles. Beside him, Lexis ran water over Shintai's hair, washing out the shampoo.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I thought your mother would be more supportive, given that you're in Starfleet and all."

"She's jus' angry an' stubborn. I though' she'd be supportive, too." He smoothed Clifford's hair back. "She didn' even give 'em a chance."

"At least she has Peter." Lexis was quiet for a long while, trailing her fingers slowly through the bubbles. Scotty's stomach sunk.

"Are ye wonderin' who Finella is?" he asked.

"Kinda."

Bile rose in his throat. He didn't want her to feel like she was anything other than one of the most precious things in his life. He released Clifford and scooted over to her, drawing a careful arm around her shoulders. She tensed.

"It's ancient history," he said. "We were teenagers, an' good friends, an' I asked her out an' she said no. She had a boyfriend, see, an' I went ta Starfleet an' she married her man. We haven' spoken in years."

Lexis relaxed and reached up to lace their fingers together. "I'm sorry," she said. "Today was just really stressful."

"It's okay. Stop apologisin'. If anyone's apologisin, it should be mam." He kissed her temple and hugged her. "She's a hard woman. She didn' like me goin' ta Starfleet. It's her loss if she doesnae wanna know her grandkids."

There was a knock on their hotel door and Scotty rose, resting a gentle hand on Lexis' shoulder. She nodded, then he went and answered the door. Clara stood there, clutching her handbag, wearing an expression of intense sadness.

"I'm so sorry abou' mam," she said. "She has a weird idea of wha's good for us."

That was true. Scotty recalled Clara's ex-husband, Hamish. Hamish had received Arlyne's approval – he was a connected _human_ man from a good _human_ family that lived in the area – and Clara and he had married quickly. Clara was pregnant with Peter when Hamish was travelling for work and met a beautiful Orion woman. He was now married to the Orion woman, leaving Clara to raise Peter as a single mother.

It wasn't fair. Clara had married a scum of a man and Arlyne still asked when they were getting back together, and Scotty was with this wonderful woman who Arlyne would never approve of because she wasn't a Scottish human woman.

"Very judgemental, aye." Scotty stepped aside and Clara entered. "We're jus' bathin' 'em."

"Aye." Clara glanced at the bathroom door, then reached into her purse and puled out a small box. Scotty's eyes widened.

"Is tha'…?"

"I knew mam would never give it ta ye, bu' I know nana would wan' ye ta have it." Her gaze softened. "Ye have beautiful kids."

"We do. I'm a lucky man." Scotty took the box and tucked it in his pocket. "Thanks, Clara." He drew his sister into a hug. "Would ye like ta come ta the weddin'?" he whispered.

"Aye, I'd love ta."

"Hi, Clara."

Lexis entered the room, holding the hands of her two naked (but clean) children. Scotty released Clara and helped Lexis lift the children onto a bed to dress them. Clara hovered by, watching as they dressed the twins in cosy onesies.

"If ye like, Peter an' I would like ta spend tha week wit' ye," Clara said. "As soon as ye left, he kept on askin' where his new friends were. It was really sweet."

"Tha' would be nice." Scotty smiled, then his heartbeat quickened as Clara glared at him and motioned to Lexis. This wasn't how he imagined doing it.

Oh, hell. He had the ring. He'd wanted to marry her for a long time, and either way they _would_ get married.

"Lexis." He grabbed her hands and dropped to one knee.

"Scotty?" She gasped, glanced at Clara, then looked back at him.

"Lexis." He pulled out the box and opened it, displaying a beautiful silver antique ring with a dozen small diamonds embedded in the metal. "This ring belonged ta me nana, an' her nana, an' her nana before her. It's over a thousand years old, an' has followed generations o' Scott women, an' I wan' ye ta have it. Lexis, will ye marry this old engineer an' make him the happies' man in the world?"

"Of course, you idiot." She dropped onto her knees, grabbed his collar and pulled him into a hard kiss. He _oomph'd_ and melted into the kiss, the box slipping from his fingers.

"Monty!" Clara rushed forward and grabbed the box. "It's an antique!"

"Righ'." He wiped his mouth, took the ring, then slipped it onto Lexis' finger. They newly-engaged couple shared a giddy smile, then Clifford began crying.

Once they'd fed both children, Clara checked the time.

"Would ye both like ta go ou' for dinner wit' me an' Peter?"

" _Murray's_?" Scotty perked up. Clara laughed.

" _Murray's_."

"Yes!" He pumped his fist. "They do the bes' haggis in town."

"I guess I'll… try haggis." Lexis didn't look too enthused at the idea.

o.O.o

Hours later, after a beautiful dinner in which Lexis decided she didn't like haggis, and Clara voiced her approval for the match, they'd returned to their hotel room and put the children to sleep.

Scotty yawned as Lexis wrapped her body around his. He could barely make out her outline in the darkness, and all he could hear was her soft breaths.

"I'm still sorry that your mother was upset," she whispered.

"It's her faul'. No' yours. Ye did nothin' wrong. She jus' doesn' understand." He squeezed her shoulder. "I love ye, an' nothin' is changin' tha'."

"Unless I sleep with one of those squid-aliens that inks when they're excited."

He chuckled, remembering that stupid show they'd watched while she was pregnant. It was Tulu Calvin's breakout show, where he poked fun at Starfleet and its missions through extreme parody.

"Unless tha'."

They were quiet for a long moment, eyes open and staring into the darkness. He didn't feel like sleep.

"I wanna get married on the _Enterprise_ ," she said finally. "It's our home."

"Aye, tha' it is." He smiled, sheer contentment filling him. Arlyne be damned. At least Lexis' family liked him.

Everything was as it should be.


End file.
